Motor vehicle



Feb. 27, 1,940. y H. A. FLoGAUs 2,191,526

. A MOTOR VEHICLE l Filed may 9, A1938 Fly. 4

Patented Feb. 27, 1940 PATENT oFF-ics f Moron VEHICLE Howard A. Flo'gaus,. Lansing, Mich., assigner -to` Rec Motor Car Company, Lansing, Mich., a corporation of lMichigan Application ,May-'9,--1938 Serial- No. 206,782`

7 Claims.

l the -oor o-f the vehicle body. With this arrangement, ,the supply and "return pipes Vmust neces sarily extend upwardly from the floor and over the vehicle vwheel-liousing's whichyin manycases, are above ythe plane ofthe engine Water pump or above ,the heater or both, which isdetrirnental to proper circulation `oi the- Water. In `addition to the supply and return pipes of such arrange-` ments being unduly longresulting in a oorrespending high resistance ,to the flow of water, the

A high lportions of. the,pipeswhere they extend overthe wheel housings cause air pocketsin the pipes which. seriously interferes with the waterv circulation. i y i Accordingly,- it is an object of the present iiiglfventionto yprovideA av heat exchange system in which the above mentioned objections are obviated. Y

Furtherobjectsof the inventionware toprovide straight pipes connecting the Iheat exchangerv with the vehicle engine water cooling system and to 'arrange andsupp-ort vsaid pipes in anevvanol improved manner with respect to the vehicle body Iioor.

. Other objects and advantages oi' the invenu tionI will become apparent from a readingv of the following description in connection. with the accompanying drawing in which.:

Fig.- 1 is a diagrammatical plan view of a motor coachernbodying the present invention; to4 ,Fig 2 is an enlarged View shown in cross sec- Ition of the vehicle floor taken along the lineand in the direction of thev arrows 2-2 ofFigl.

Fig. 3 is an Aenlarged View shown in cross section of the vehicle floor, taken along the line and 4Min the direction of the arrows .3-3 of Fig. l.

(ol. esi-12.3)

thereof into'arear engine compartment it and a .forward `passengencompartment` Vl.- Extending upwardly, above the iioor M and adjacent the i opposite side lwallsv I3 are the usual wheel-housings` I8 and in Yoneqo-f the'side walls i3 va door 5;: opening and doors'V lfale'provided, the floor M' having astep well 2i) at the door opening. Disposed in the passenger compartment a number of. seats 2l l are disposed within the passenger compartment Il' and arranged'along opposite 1Q@ sides; of thea-body, toprovidea center aisle 22 therebetween longitudinallyfof Ithefoody. In the engine compartment l6,the vehicle engine 23 is provided .with a Water cooling system including a l radiator24-connected to the Water jackets (not miie shown) ofthe engine-23 by a cold water .supplyl pipe25 and a` hot water return pipe'ii.y

The ffloor I4,l which for the mostlpart may-be constructed of Woodfis provided with an elongated opening 2T therethrough which extends from 20 front to vrear of the passenger compartment along the center aisle between the opposite wheelhousings i 8 vand is closed yby a metallic conduit or'duct-28fwhich formsf'a part of the floor and within-which the'hot4 water supply-pipe 2Q' and 25'-- a cold water return pipe 30 extend longitudinally and in a straight line to connect `the enginev water cooling system `toa `heat exchanger 3i positoned inr the passengeroompartment il 'adjacent the front/'bodyl wall Il. Within the engine 3Qv compartment'lii, a branch pipe 3i and suitable pipe ttings may be provided to connect the heat exchangersupply pipe 29 to the hot Water supe ply'pipe 2,5 Vleading to the radiator 24; and similarly the-cold Water return pipeS leading from 35;; the heat :exchanger v3l may be connected to the cold water return pipe 25 of the 'engine cooling system bya branch pipe 33. In the passenger compartment il' a second or auxiliary heat eX- changer 34 :of any suitable type may be provided 40 t if desired and 'may be connected to the supply pipe 29 yby abranch pipe 35 and to the return pipe 3) .by a branch pipe t5.

Referring vnow more particularly to Fig. 3, the duct 28 includes a channel-shaped member 3l 45: which is positioned in and closes the :door opening 21 and is provided with a depressed portion Bil extending longitudinally thereof in which are positioned the supply and return pipes 29 and 3D respectively. The body IQ may be provided with i: a number of transverse frame lnembers'dlfupon which the floor Humax/rest and are each provided inthe present instance withan lupwardly facing recess in which vthe depressed portion 3.8 of-the ducts 28may:seat ands-may,begrigidlyzsee 5de..

Y cured thereto by rivets 4| or by other suitable .floor supporting members im.

means. The spaced channel-shaped portions of the duct 28 include outturned horizontal flanges 42 -adjacent the top of the floor to form supports for a removable closure member 43 overlying the pipes 29 and 3l) in the plane of the vehicle floor. The anges l2 are oiTset downwardly adjacent the sides of the opening 2'! and provided with outturned anges M which seat on the supporting members 40 and which may be rigidly secured thereto by rivets 45 or by other suitable means. Suitable heat insulating material 45, wrapped around the pipes 29 and 3l) is provided to decrease heat conduction between the pipes and the adjacent metal parts of the duct 28 and is held under compression by the cover 43 to prevent rattling of the pipes.

In the modification of Fig. 4, the floor I4 of the vehicle body is provided with an elongated opening 5D extending from front to rear of the passenger compartment and in width between opposite seats, being substantially the same width as the center aisle, and a cast, metallic closure member 5! is positioned in the opening substantially flush with thewood iloor I4. Along its side edges, longitudinally thereof, the closure member 5l is provided with downwardly oiset outturned flanges 53 to seat upon the upper surface of the transverse body supporting member tb, the wood flooring i4 being recessed, as at 55, to receive the anges 53. Substantially midway between its longitudinal edges, the closure member 5l is formed with a depressed portion 55, extending longitudinally thereof, to receive the pipes 2S and 30, and the lower wall thereof rests within the recesses of the supporting members Ml to be secured thereto by bolts 56 on which nuts 51 may be tightened down against lock washers 58. At the depressed portions 55 along the opposite side walls thereof, the casting 5l is provided with slight and downwardly offset portions 59 providing upwardly facing seating surfaces for a removable closure member 65 which may be secured thereto by screws or by other suitable means and cooperates with the depressed portion 55 of the casting to provide a closed duct.

Referring now to Fig. 5, in this modification, the floor of the Vehicle body is provided with an upper horizontal oor section 6l and a similar lower section 52 spaced by a plurality of vertical struts 63, the spaces between the upper andlower floor sections being :filled with suitable heat insulating material 64 such as asbestos. Like the previously described constructions, the oor in Fig. 3 is provided with an elongated opening 65 extending therethrough down the center of the vehicle and is closed by a metallic member 66 having a depressed portion 61 in which the pipes 29 and 30 position below -the floor line and covered by a plate 68 which may be secured in place by screws 10. The closure member S6 is similar to the closure member 3'! of Fig. 3 but differs therefrom in that its depressed portion 61 does not extend down to the point where clearance depressions are neces-- sary in the transverse supporting members d0, the pipes being disposed between the upper and lower floor sections 6I and 62 respectively. Also, in this construction bolts' 1l and nuts 'l2 therefor may be provided to secure the wood floor and the metallic closure member 66 rigidly together and to the flanges of the transverse In the duct 23, between the pipes 29 and 30 and the wall of the depressed duct portion 61, suitable heat insu- 2,191,52c l l` j lating material 13 may be provided to decrease the conduction of heat between these parts.

It will be seen that by providing means whereby the supply and return pipes connecting the engine cooling system to the passenger compartment heater may be positioned between the vehicle wheel-housings and below the vehicle oor, these pipes may run in a straight line providing minimum resistance to circulation of water therethrough. It will further be seen that the several novel duct structures for iioors of vehicle bodies are not only suitable to receive supply and return pipes for hot water heaters but among other things may be employed for cooling system pipes, electric cables or for the air lines of compressed air brakes.

What is claimed'and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In a motor vehicle comprising a frame having a plurality of cross members, a hollow body having wheel housings extending upwardly thereinto adjacent the opposite sides thereof, and a iloor supported on said cross members, said floor including an upwardly opening channel located between said wheel housings and extending longitudinally of said body, uid heating means at one end of said body, a heat exchanger at the other end of said body, ducts connecting said uid heating means and said heat exchanger for conveying uid between them, said ducts being located in said channel, and a cover for concealing said ducts, said cover overlying said channel and being ksecured to said oor.

2. In a motor vehicle comprising a frame having a plurality of cross members, a hollow body having wheel housings extending upwardly thereinto adjacent the opposite sides thereof, yand a iioor supported on said cross members, said door including an upwardly opening channel supported on said cross members and located between said wheel housings, said channel extending longitudinally of said body, fluid heating means at one end of said body, a heat exchanger at the other end of said body, ducts located in the channel and connecting said fluid heating means and said heat exchanger for conveying iiuid between them, and an imperforate cover for concealing said ducts, said cover overlying the said channel and being secured to said floor flush with the upper surface thereof.

3. In a motor vehicle comprising a frame having a plurality of cross members, a hollow body` having wheel housings extending upwardly thereinto adjacent the opposite sides thereof, and a floor supported on said cross members, said lioor including an upwardly opening channel located between said wheel housings and extending longitudinally of said body, fluid heating means at one end of said body, a heat exchanger at the other end of said body, ducts connecting said fluid heating means and saidheat exchanger for conveying uid between them, said ducts being located in said channel, a cover for concealing said ducts, said Acover overlying said channel Vand being secured to the iioor, and means for clamping said ducts to said channel and said channel to said cross members.

4. In a motor vehicle comprising a frame having a plurality of cross members, the upper Walls of said cross members having upwardly facing recesses therein, a floor supported on said cross members, said floor including an upwardly opening channel located in said recesses and extending longitudinally of said body, fluid heating means at one end of said body, ducts connecting cev ltween the laterally spaced sections of said floory said iluid heating means `and said heat exchanger for conveying fluid between them, said ducts being located-in said channel, vand a co-ver for concealing said ducts, saidcover overlying said 'channeland b-eing secured to said floor.

5. A motor vehicle comprising a frame having a plurality of cross members, a hollow body having a iioor, said floor including laterally 'spaced longitudinally extending sections supported on said cross members, an upwardly cpening channel resting on said cross members bea'nd extending longitudinally of said body, fluid heating means at one end of said body,- a heat exchanger adjacent the other,` end of said body, ducts connecting said fluid heating means and l saidl heat exchanger for conveying fluid between them, said ducts being located insaid channel, and an imperforate cover for concealing said ducts, said cover being secured to and overlying said channel and located substantially ush with the upper surfaces o f the laterally spaced Sections of said oor.

6. In -a motor vehicle comprising a frame having a plurality of cross members, a hollow body `having a floor supported on said cross members, said floor including an upwardly open,- ingv channel extending longitudinally of said wardly and being secured to said cross. members,

iiuid heating means at one end of said body, a heat exchanger at the `other end of said body, ducts connecting said uid heating means. and said heat exchanger for ,conveying fluid between them, said-ducts beinglocated in said channel, and a cover forconcealing said ducts, said cover overlying said channel and beingsecured to said floor. l f

'7. Ina motor vehicle comprising a frame having a plurality of crossy members, a hollow body having a, floor supported onv said cross members, said oor including laterally spaced longitudinally extending. sections supported on said cross members, an upwardly opening channel supported on said cross members between said laterally spaced-1 sections and extending longitudinally of said body, the side walls of said channel having flanges adjacent the upper edgesy thereof, said anges vextending laterally outwardly and downwardly into contact with said cross members, the freeedges of saidflanges `overlapping the adjacent edges of said laterally spaced sections and being secured thereto, fluid heating means at one end of said body, a heat exchanger at the other end of said body, ducts connectingy said fluid heating means and said heat j exchanger for conveying fluid between them, said ducts being located in said' channel, `and acover for concealing said ducts, said coverr overlying said channel and being secured to said iloor.

' HOWARD A. FLOGAUS. 

